Perplexing Providence Hospital - Why isn't this Catholic hospital 'acting' Catholic?

When one thinks of the latest scandals surrounding Catholic hospitals, it is hard to ignore that these situations from a very object point of view are completely perplexing. In the case of Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska allowing the Alaska Women's Health Clinic to become a clinic inside of Providence and granting notorious Dr. Jan Whitefield privileges at the hospital flies directly in the face of Catholic teaching and doctrine.

Unfortunately Providence isn't alone in their actions, Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado has an almost identical situation, to which Live Action and Lila Rose came to protest. Bishop Thomas Olmsted was forced to strip St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona of their Catholic "identity." It was an example of an "end game" scenario but after years of deceit and insubordinate, he was left with no option. And in development, we  see a situation in the Archdiocese of Louisville, where pressure is being placed on those in power to manipulate the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) to allow for a hospital merger.

So while some may view the Providence issue as a local Alaskan issue, they would be incorrect. This issue is much deeper than some localized blip on the radar, it actually strikes at the core of what it means to be a Catholic Organization.

What is perplexing about the Providence situation, as well as these other situations, is that Catholic hospitals should have a pretty straight-forward criteria for what clinics and the partners they associate with, especially ones that they physically have in their buildings or share services with. I admit that a person could imagine various complex relationships which could be developed between a Catholic hospital and a secondary partner, and when analyzed that relationship would be difficult to determine whether it was appropriate under Catholic teaching and doctrine.

Yet, the Providence situation is a rather blatant case of an improper relationship. This relationship appears so egregious, that there must be some ulterior motive driving the decision to partner with the state's most notorious abortionist, instead of operating based on Catholic teaching. This situation is a perfect example of the necessity for Catholic hospitals to adhere to the 'Ethical and Religious Directives' (ERDs). Not only for the sake of their Catholic identity but more importantly for the sake of what it means for an organization to be Catholic within the public sphere.

Browsing Providence's site, one can find a disclaimer called: 'Services Disclaimer' which is the legalese that a hospital publishes to explain what liability exists based on the information they have on their website. Essentially it is the "disclaimer" which attaches to the website. Oddly Providence's seems contrary to their action. The disclaimer says:

Providence Health & Services does not recommend, endorse or promote any procedure or intervention that may be discussed on this site, and which may be prohibited by Providence Health & Services’ Mission and Core Values and the Roman Catholic moral tradition as articulated in such documents as The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

If this is the case, why did they let Dr. Whitefield and AWHS walk right in the building and set up shop? Not only that, but how can they reconcile the actions that Dr. Whitefield is infamous for with the ERDs they are required to follow? It is just so confusing and frustrating that this hospital isn't acting very Catholic. There must be a reason, but it still perplexes me. It is hard to imagine that there is some greater and almost infinite good that must exist to justify the decision to let the clinic open and operate out of Providence.

Over the next couple of days I plan to update you on the developments in this story, as well as highlighting what other people are saying about this issue. Some great Catholic thinkers and bloggers are talking about this issue in earnest and it is comforting to know that many of things I have been thinking and writing about regarding it all align quite closely to what these other Catholics have been saying. I also plan to talk a little more about ERDs and what they are supposed to do in terms of keeping Catholic hospitals... Catholic.

Lastly... don't forget to pray and write the Archbishop. Please let the Chancery know how you feel about this issue as a Catholic. Let them know that you are praying for an outcome to this situation that is centered in truth and protects the sanctity of life.

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